The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-20
NO. f..

oeyouu lIioSc tnlnSS very soon other
and tar graver questions absorbed me.
What to do and how to do it SO as to
be of real Christian service to the help
less object of my charge we're harassing
and benumbing problems. At one mo-
ment faced the possibility of his guilt
and feared that hG would brave death
without confession at another I
wondered whether he might not defer
his confession until brought to the scaf-
fold and then make it when it would
be wrong in its motive and worthless
in its effect at another, and indeed
very often, | suffered the agonies Of
dreadful apprehension lest, after all,
being an innocent man, he might die
the victim of the laws mistake. IL be
had to die knew it was better for him
to be innocent than guilty, but that
was quite different matter from my
having to deal with a man as a muir
derer whose hands might be free from
blood. If thousands of people who
never saw him, yet night after night
iety on his account, how think you it
must have been with me, who in no
small sense carried upon my heart tie
burden of his fate?
WAS HE PREPARED TO DIE.
Reporter Do you think, Doctor,
that the prisoner was prepared for
HeavenP
DIR. Hatcher That isa question too
solemn and profound for me to touch.
believe in the Immortality of the soul
and the reality and glory of the heav-
emily state. | believe in the eternal hap
piness of the righteous and in the suf-
lciency of the blood of Christ to save:
all who come to God by Him, but when
| am called on to say whether this man
or that has been saved feel that am
not appointed to settle such question.
1t would not be we'll to speak with flip
pant confidence about the salvation of
a man who dies under the penalty OF
human law. The cause of religion has
been put to shame by the sentimental
, way in which many victims of the gal
lows have been triumphantly shouted
to Heaven by sympathetic ministers.
On this question / choose to be silent
, and leave the result to that God into,
whose presence the prisoners spirit has.
gone.
Reporter Did he often talk of his
e religious creed and hopeP
DR.. Hatcher Yes, he talked not
very freely, and never with one symp-
t tom of cant or whimpering sentiment.
His expressed belief in divine things
was clear, reverential, and outspoken.
a Reporter: What did he believer
t DR.. Hatcher: He said more than
A once that he fully accepted the Scrip
l lures as the Word of God, and hung
his hopes upon its promises. He was
: reared under Christian influences, and
: his mind was evidently impregnated
with Christian doctrines. He said that
S his hope rested upon the merits of an
d other. You know that he professed
e conversion when he was fifteen years
e of age and united with the church. He
d never affected much devoutness in my
n presence, and l cannot say that he was
n specially pious. have heard that his
y Christian walk was not very consistent,
o though his church, up to the time OF
Y his arrest. had the fullest confidence in
II his religious character.
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
Reporter Did he seem to have any
q trouble about his religious condition
DR.. Hatcher Sometimes he did.
r He had one staggering doubt. He said
i that the promises of God to hear prayer
W were very many and full, and that he
} thought he had pleaded those promises
1t faithfully for deliverance from his cruel
y fate. He had hanging on the wall oi
r his cell number of placards on which
n were printed various Scripture promises
st One day while we were talking on this
n subject ha arose rather nervously and
1t went to the wall and uncovered the
is promise in Matthew xviii, 10 and 20,
4 and said: /" How is this, Doctor
ut There is the promise that God viii
hear the prayer of two or three.
S know that many more than that have
l. been pleading for me, and yet no an
swer seems to come" The act betrayed
S intense feeling and painful doubt.
& gave him such an explanation a.
" seemed necessary, and with brighten
ut ing face, he said: al see it. We mus
le not expect to understand everything
~ try to feel as the old colored mar
~ said he did in reading the Bible-thal
US is, when | find anything that is toI
deep for me turn to what l can un
e. derstand."
~ soLEMSITY OF DEATH.
of Reporter: Did he seem to be afraie
10 to die1
III DR.. Hatcher He did not cour
r, death by any means. He said that tn
II. love Of life was instructive and that b,
10 realized the solemnity OF death. Blu
ng what struck me all the time about hin
v was his absolutely terrible desire to liy,
vs.. II was the master passion it its wildes
a and flerCest form. Not that he eve
sc exhibited any terror about death, bu
int CONTINUED ON FOURTH PACE1